Psychological implications of unemployment among higher educated migrant youth in Kolkata City, India

Mental health issues are intricately linked to socioeconomic background, employment and migration status. However, there remains a gap in understanding the mental health challenges faced by graduate youth in India, particularly in Kolkata City. This study aims to assess the prevalence and associated risk factors of depression, anxiety, and stress among higher-educated migrant youth. A survey was conducted on four hundred migrant graduate youths aged 21–35 residing in Kolkata. Measures included socio-demographics and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression were employed to identify factors associated with mental health issues. The overall prevalence rates were 54.4% for depression, 61.8% for anxiety, and 47.9% for stress. Unemployed youths exhibited significantly more symptoms of depression and anxiety than their employed counter parts. The logistic regression model showed that unemployed youth, female sex, never married, and second- and third-time migrant youths were risk factors for high scores on the DASS-21. This study showed that mental health issues were alarming in the higher educated migrant youth. The study suggests the implementation of skill-based, job-oriented, and professional courses at the graduation level to prevent graduates from being rendered unproductive and jobless. Beside these, regular psychological support should be provided to the higher educated youth by the local governments.


Participants and procedure
First, the investigator met the sampled participants personally and explained the purpose of the present study.In some situations, permission was also taken from the concerned authorities such as schools and other educational institutions.Then after, the investigator established rapport with the participants and requested them to participate voluntarily and cooperate in the data collection process and assured them that their responses would be kept confidential and utilized for research purposes only.The participants were asked to read the instructions carefully given on the top.They were also requested to answer all the statements given in the scales sincerely.After taking the consent, data was obtained separately from each of the participants.The background and purpose of the research endeavor was explained thoroughly to each participant so that every answer is truthful, reliable and transparent.

Description of variables
Independent Socio-demographics.Questions pertaining to socio-demographics included sex (male or female), age, permanent residence (urban or rural), educational status (graduation, post-graduation and M.Phil./PhD),employment status (employed or unemployed), relationship status (i.e., single, engaged in relationship, or married), religion (Hindu/Muslim/Christians), and socioeconomic status.Socioeconomic status was measured using total monthly family income, which was categorized into higher, middle, and lower income groups corresponding to monthly family income of > INR 50,000, INR 50,000 to INR 25,000, and < INR25000, respectively.

Migration
For measuring the use of migration related phenomena, questionnaire included the following questions-place of permanent residence (urban or rural) and time since migration (months to year).Further questions asked about 'migration accompany person (alone/with family/with friend/relative/others).
Cronbach's alpha, α or coefficient alpha was used to measure the internal consistency among the outcome variables, depression, anxiety and stress (DASS).The Cronbach's alpha measure shows the very high level of internal consistency among the various items of DASS.The overall Cronbach's alpha of 0.83 indicates good or acceptable reliability.

Data compilation and analysis
The data analyses were performed using the statistical software STATA version 16.0.In the present study, moderate, severe, and very severe were combined to calculate scores of depression, anxiety, and stress on the DASS 3 .Descriptive statistics (e.g., frequencies, percentages) were performed to present the socio-demographic, migration characteristics and mental health problems.The cross tabulations with Chi-square test (χ 2 ) was used to show the association between various attributes.All significant variables in the bivariate tests were entered into a binary logistic regression with "depression", "anxiety" and "stress" as the dependent variables.The results of the binary logistic regression were interpreted with 95% confidence intervals, and a p-value less than or equal 0.05 was considered significant.

Ethics
This study was approved by the Students Research Ethics Committee (SREC) of the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, India.[ref.no: IIPS/ACAD/MMB/IO-210/2022].Verbal and formal written informed consent from all respondents were obtained before participating in the study.All subjects were also informed about the (1) nature and purpose of the study, (2) procedure of the study, (3) right to refuse, and (4) right to withdraw from participating in the study.The study did not include any minor participants.The study also did not involve human participants including minors (including the use of tissue samples).The participants did not gain any financial benefit from taking part in the study.Confidentiality of data and anonymity to the participants were ensured.In addition to this, all methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations of SREC, IIPS.

Higher education
According to All India Survey on Higher Education "Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree which is obtained after completing 12 years of schooling" 28 .In this study, we have adopted at least an undergraduate degree holder in any discipline as higher educated.

Youth
Youths were defined as individuals aged 13-35 years according to the National Youth Policy 33 .In the present study, we have considered individuals aged 21-35 years as youth because most of the students graduate at the age of 21 years and in most cases cross the age of 30 by the time they get a job.

Employed
Persons who are engaged in any economic activity.Here we have considered higher educated employed migrant youths (21-35 years), which means an individual holding at least an under graduate degree who is currently working and has migrated from their usual place of residence.

Unemployed
Unemployed persons are those who are seeking or available for work.In this study, we have considered higher educated unemployed migrant youth, which means those individuals who are at least an undergraduate degree holder and looking for job.

Migrants
Migrants comprise individuals who changed their place of usual residence.

Duration of migration
The 64th round of National Sample Survey (NSS) defined short term migrants as who had stayed away from their place of origin for a period of 1 month or more but less than 6 months during the last 365 days and long-term migration for a duration of more than six months or more 34 .

Incidence of migration
Incidence of migration means number of times they migrated during their education or job.

Study participants
Among the overall 395 study participants, almost two-third (254) were unemployed (Table 1).Majority of the study participants were male (58.7%), from rural areas (80%), belonged to the age group of 26-30 years (46%) and were unmarried (49.4%).Almost half of the youths hold graduation degree followed by postgraduation (44.3%), whereas 5.57% (22) had MPhil/PHD degree.As far as socio-religious groups were concerned, Hindu represented almost 60% of the study population, 37.9% were Muslims, and Other Backward Group (OBC) comprised of 41.7% of the study population.

Prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress
The overall prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress among the study participants were 54.4% (n = 215), 61.8% (n = 244) and 47.8% (n = 189) respectively.Thirty percent of participants experienced all the three symptoms mental health (Fig. 1).

Socio-demographic characteristics and mental health issues
The prevalence of depression (56.44%), anxiety (71.17%) and stress (50.92%) was comparatively higher among female than their counterparts (Table 1).Sex was statistically associated with the anxiety (χ 2 = 10.371,p = 0.001) and it was not significant for depression (χ 2 = 0.453, p = 0.501) and stress (χ2 = 1.05, p = 0.306).Unemployed youths reported significantly higher symptoms of depression (66.1% vs. 33.3%;χ 2 = 39.3, p = 0.000) and anxiety (69.7% vs. 47.5%;χ 2 = 18.9, p = 0.000) compared to employed youths, whereas the symptoms of stress were more among employed youths than their counter parts (45.3% vs. 52.5%;χ 2 = 1.89, p = 0.17).Age group was significantly associated with the symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, and the prevalence was higher among the age group of 26-30 years except stress.Educational status of the respondents was also significantly associated with depression (χ 2 = 7.798, p = 0.02) and anxiety (χ 2 = 5.642, p = 0.050), and it was not significant for stress (χ 2 = 5.013, p = 0.082).Moreover, the prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress was comparatively higher among the MPhil/PhD holders and the post-graduates than graduate youths.Never-married youths experienced higher level of depression (66%) and anxiety (68.6%) compared to other groups, whereas the prevalence of stress was comparatively higher among married youths (53%).Moreover, the symptoms of stress were significantly associated with religion.The study also found that there was significant association between monthly family income status and symptoms of anxiety (χ 2 = 7.241, p = 0.027).The individuals coming from lower-and middleincome families reported higher symptoms of depression and anxiety whereas there was no significant association between stress and monthly family income (χ 2 = 0.78, p = 0.677). Vol

Migration characteristics and mental health issues
The study found that most of the participants were long term migrants (92.9%) (Table 1).The prevalence of depression (57.1% vs. 54.2%)and anxiety (67.9% vs. 61.3%)was slightly higher among short-term migrants compared to their counterparts, whereas long-term migrants were experiencing higher burden of stress (49.1% vs. 32.1%).Moreover, the prevalence of depression (45.6%) and anxiety (60.3%) was comparatively lower among the youths who migrated with their family members.

Discussion
Mental health issues are a pervasive global concern, particularly among higher-educated migrant youth, whose well-being can be significantly influenced by their employment status.The intersection of educational attainment, migration status, and employment status presents unique stressors and challenges that can adversely affect their mental health.Unemployment among educated youth stands out as a significant social problem in India, especially in cities like Kolkata, where the rates of unemployment have continued to rise.This trend is likely attributed to inadequate job creation despite sustained economic growth over the past several years 35 .Remarkably, the exploration of mental health issues among higher-educated migrant youth in Kolkata City has been notably lacking in previous studies.The present research aims to bridge this gap by investigating the potential connections between psychological distress and the employment status of higher-educated migrant youths.Nearly half of the population has reported experiencing mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and stress, with higher rates of these conditions observed among higher-educated youths 4,5 .The findings underscore that unemployed individuals face significantly higher odds of encountering depression and anxiety compared to their employed counterparts.As no other studies specifically focus on higher educated migrant youth in India, particularly in the capital city of West Bengal, Kolkata, making rigorous comparisons to depict mental health status and its contributing factors becomes challenging.The sole study conducted among unemployed and employed youth in the Kashmir Valley revealed twice as high scores for all three mental health indicators compared to the employed groups 13 .A study in Bangladesh also supports our findings, demonstrating elevated mental health issues among unemployed youths 4 .
Various previous studies have outlined reasons behind heightened mental health issues the unemployed.Factors such as joblessness, economic instability, lack of social identity, financial dependency, feelings of worthlessness, and low self-esteem have emerged as key contributors to mental health challenges among the unemployed [7][8][9][10][11][12] .In our study location, limited job opportunities in both government and nongovernment sectors stand out as one of the leading causes of unemployment, consequently contributing to mental health issues 28 .Another study conducted in West Bengal emphasized the absence of industrial setups, leaving higher-educated groups vulnerable by not providing sufficient job opportunities 35 .Notably, the prevailing perception among youths in West Bengal, prioritizing government jobs over employment opportunities in the private or development sectors, further contributes to the unemployment challenge.
Educational status appears to play a crucial role in influencing the likelihood of experiencing depression.Postgraduate and MPhil/PhD individuals exhibit a higher propensity for mental health symptoms compared to those with a graduation-level education 5,6 .This could be attributed to factors such as heightened academic and career expectations, increased competition in the job market, and potential stress associated with advanced studies 36,37 .
In terms of migration factors, second-time migrants demonstrate a significantly higher level of depression and anxiety compared to first-time migrants 38,39 .Second-time migrants are assumed to bear a double burden of hardships in securing employment, leading to elevated mental health issues 40  www.nature.com/scientificreports/did not exhibit a significant association with mental health outcomes.Research indicates that short-term migrants face various compulsions related to family and adjustment to the new environment, which serve as explaining factors for the higher incidence of mental health issues compared to long-term migrants.
The study initially adopted the null hypothesis, suggesting no association between migration, employment status, and mental health issues among higher-educated youths.However, upon analysis, the study ultimately rejected the null hypothesis, revealing a robust association.Migrant youths without employment status are found to be more prone to experiencing mental health issues.

Limitations of the study
Though this study has some strengths, including the use of the DASS-21 as measure of depression, anxiety and stress, but there are some limitations as well.The cross-sectional design hinders exploring causal links between mental health issues and socio-demographic factors among higher-educated migrant youth.Reliance on selfreported questionnaires introduces potential biases, including method bias, recall bias, and social desirability biases.Future studies could address these through alternative The relatively small sample size is

Implications of the study
This study is a pioneering effort in Kolkata City, West Bengal, focusing on the prevalent mental health challenges among higher-educated migrant youth.Reflecting global trends, a significant number of young individuals struggle with the transition into their professional lives after completing their studies, placing them at an elevated risk of psychological distress, including depression, anxiety, and stress [41][42][43] .Recognizing that mental disturbances can detrimentally impact productivity, overall well-being, and escalate the risk of suicide and suicidal behaviors is crucial [44][45][46] .There is a pressing need for dedicated attention to the mental health of unemployed and underemployed graduates, requiring a thorough evaluation of predictive risk factors through extensive and longitudinal interventional studies.Encouraging private sector financial investment is imperative.Simultaneously, our nation's youth must be adequately prepared for the future labor market, aligning with the fourth and fifth industrial revolutions.To achieve this, a collaborative effort between the Government, Academia, and Industry is paramount.Technical, polytechnic, and vocational education institutions can play a pivotal role in reducing unemployment by providing relevant training and ensuring graduates secure employment aligned with their skills through improved education and job market alignment.Moreover, in response to the high demand for technically and vocationally trained graduates, job opportunities can be expanded not only within the country but also internationally, drawing inspiration from successful initiatives, such as those seen in China.

Conclusions
The present study reveals that unemployed graduate youth exhibit higher levels of depression and anxiety compared to their employed counterparts.Additionally, it highlights the high prevalence and associated risk factors of depression and anxiety among job seekers.But the symptoms of stress were more prevalent among the employed because many of the youth were contractual position and due to the heavy workload.These findings underscore the need for preventive workforce initiatives that better align educational channels with job markets.Furthermore, there is a call for early mental support and resilience training programs during higher education to potentially mitigate the elevated risk of mental health issues among graduate youth in Kolkata City, West Bengal.The study suggests the incorporation of skill-based, job-oriented, and professional courses at the graduation to ensure that graduates are better equipped with opportunities for employment.Further exploration with a national large-scale sample is recommended to delve deeper into the identified risk issues.

Figure 1 .
Figure 1.Venn diagram showing mental health issues in the study sample.

Table 1 .
Distribution of variables among respondents by depression, anxiety and stress.

Unadjusted odds ratio Adjusted odds ratio Unadjusted odds ratio Adjusted odds ratio Unadjusted odds ratio Adjusted odds ratio
recognized limitation.Additionally, the present study was conducted in Kolkata City, such that generalization may not necessarily be possible.